Ball-playing device.



No. 69I,299.- Patented Ian. 14, I902. J. s. STEVENS.

BALL PLAYING DEVICE.

(Applica tion filed. May 15, 1901.)

(No Model.)

rm: Norms PETERS co, mom-Lune" WASHINGTON, D, c.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

JOSHUA S. STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BALL-PLAYING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 691 ,299, dated January14, 1902.

Application filed May 15, 1901- Serial No. 0.301. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA S. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ball- Playing Devices,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved device adapted to be used inplaying ball, and has for its object to provide a new and improveddevice of this description.

My invention is illustrated in a more or less diagrammatic manner in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of one form ofdevice embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of theconstruction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of .the deviceshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4: 4, Fig. 1, withparts omitted. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. 4, withparts omitted. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6, Fig. at, withparts omitted.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

I have illustrated in the drawings a simple construction, so as to makemy invention clear; butit is of course understood that such constructionmay be greatly varied in many particulars.

As illustrated in the drawings, I provide a suitable stop A, for theball or other missile used by the player. This stop may be of anysuitable construction and is preferably made adjustable in someconvenient manneras, for example, by hinging it at the point A. Whenmade adjustable, I prefer to provide the supports B, which permit thestop to be held in various positions. This stop may be provided with anysuitable marking or sets of characters, and I have shown it in Fig. 3 asprovided with the ordinary bulls-eye target. Beneath the stop I providea suitable receiving device C for receiving the ball or other missilethrown at the stop. Said stopis preferably forwardly inclined,so as toprevent the ball'from flying outwardly so far as to miss the receivingdevice. Associated with the stop is a ball or missile returningdevice,which automatically returns to the player the article thrown atthe stop. This returning device may be of any suitable construction, andfor purposes of illustration I have shown one of the simplest forms.This construction consists of a confining device D, containing asuitable projecting device, which, as illustrated, consists of thespring E. This spring is attached to an engaging piece F, arranged toengage the ball or other missile. The confining device D is connectedwith the receiving device 0, so that the ball automatically rolls fromthe receiving device into the end thereof, so as to come within range ofthe projecting device. In front of the projecting device I provide anexit-opening G, through which the ball or other missile is projected.Some suitable means is provided for setting the projecting device fromthe point where the player is located. This result may be obtained inany desired manner. When the projecting device consists of a spring, itmay be set by providing a suitable connection H, attached to or near theengaging end of the spring and passing back around the pulley I, andthence forward to within easy reach of the player. A suitable releasingdevice is provided, adapted to be automatically operated by the ball, sothat when the ball rolls into position to be returned it automaticallyacts upon the releasing device, thus causing the projecting device toact. This releasing device may be of any suitable description andwouldvarywiththe conditions. Ihaveshown a simple form which consists ofa pivoted part or latch J, held in place by a suitable spring K andlocated within the path of the ball as it enters the confining device.device is also provided with a limiting device whichlimits itsforwardmovement. Asherein shown, this limiting device consists of the cord orwire S. I prefer to make the projecting device adjustable, so that theforce with which the ball is returned can be varied as desired. This maybe done by providing an adjustable part L, which engages the end of thespring. By adjusting this part it will be seen that the tension of thespring may be varied. The force with which the ball is returned may alsobe varied by providing a series of releasing devices located atdifferent points along the confining device or by providing means sothat the releasing device or latch .I may be moved to differentpositions. It a series of latches J are used, for example,

The projecting the retaining-springs K might be pivoted, so that theones not used could be moved to one side to permit the latch to falldown out of the way. It will thus be seen that any desired tension ofthe spring could be obtained by using the proper releasing device. I mayalso provide means for indicating the efficiency of the player. Forexample, I may provide beneath the stop aseries of partitions M, betweenwhich are located the movable bottoms N, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) thusforming a series of receptacles with trap-doors or movable bottoms.Associated with these partitions may be any suitable characters, such asnumbers or the like. These may be arranged in any desired manner, auditwill be seen that as the ball strikes different portions of the stop itwill fall between different partitions. These characters or figuresmight be arranged so that when the ball strikes nearl the bnlls-eye theplayer receives more to his credit than when it strikes at some pointfar ther away. All these details may be arranged; in any manner desired.

I prefer to arrange the device so that the figures or characters arenormally concealed and are automatically exposed by the ball, falling inbetween the partitions. As herein; illustrated, the bottoms N are hingedto the cross-pieces 0, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) which crosspieces arefastened in a suitable frame and support the partitions M. Thepartitions M are preferably provided with hinged pieces; or indicatorsP, which carry the numbers orf characters, and suitable actuatingdevices; are connected with the bottoms N, so that when the bottom movesdownwardly the indicators P will be moved so as to expose thecharacters. As herein shown, the bottoms N are provided with theprojecting arms Q, which engage the indicators and move them about theirhinges, as shown in Fig. 5. A suitable counterweight or other retractingmeans is associated with said bottoms, so that they automatically returnto their normal position. A suitable spring or the like R may also beassociated with the indicators, so as. to automatically return them.

. I have described in detail a particular construction embodying myinvention; but, as hereinbefore stated, the parts may be greatly variedin many particulars and some of the parts omitted and others used withparts not herein shown without departing from the spirit of myinvention. I therefore do not limit myself to the construction shown.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: hen the device isset up ready for use, the player takes his stand at a suitable distance,regulated by the conditions and circumstances, and throws the ball atthe stop. When the ball hits the stop, it is thrown downwardly into oneof the receptacles and, striking the bottom N, moves said bottomdownwardly and passes through into the receiving device 0, at the sametime exposing the characters or figures corresponding with thereceptacle into which it falls, as shown in Fig. 5. These characters canthen be noted and a score kept, if desired. The bottom thenautomatically returns to its normal position, and the ball rolls alonginto the confining device D. The ball then passes over the releasingdevice J and moves it so as to release the projecting device, whicheugages the ball and projects it through the opening G, returning it tothe player. The player then sets the projecting device by pulling uponthe cord or connection H, so as to contract the spring until it engagesthe releasing device, so as to be held thereby. This operation may thenbe repeated. It will thus be seen that this device maybe used by expertbase-ball players for training purposes or that it may be used as a gameby a number of persons, a score'being kept, as in any ordinary game. Ifused by one person for training purposes, the score'may also be'kept, ifdesired. It will further be seen that the stop A may be adjusted tocorrespond with the force with which the ball is thrown and that theprojecting device may be adjusted to return the ball with any forcedesired. In some instances it is only necessary to project the ball withsufficient force to insure its returning to the player; but in othercases it is desirable to project itwith great force, so as to give theplayer the practice of catching as well as throwing. In this event itwill of course be understood that the releasing device may be modifiedto insure the release, regardless of the tension of the spring. Thesefeatures may of course be readily adjusted and the position of theconfining device D varied in any desired manner so as to permit thislatter result.

In the specification and. claims I have used the terms ball andball-playing device; but I wish it to be understood that I use theseterms to mean any missile which maybe used by the player.

I claim 1. A ball-playing device, comprisinga stop which stops the ball,a receiving device into which the ball is received, and a projectingdevice which forcibly projects the ball toward the player.

2. A ball-playingdevice, comprising a stop which stops the ball, areceiving device into which the ball is received, a projecting devicewhich returns the ball to the player, and means within the reach of theplayer for setting said projecting device.

3. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop which stops the ball, areceiving device for the ball associated with said stop, a projectingdevice in proximity to the receiving device, and a releasing deviceassociated with the projecting device and adapted to beactuated by theball, so as to release the projecting device when the ball is inproximity thereto.

4. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop which stops the ball, anindicating device which indicates the score made by the player, areceiving device for the ball, and an automatic projecting device forforcibly projecting the ball toward the player.

5. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop for stopping the ball, areceiving device into which the ball is received, and an adjustableprojecting device for returning the ball to the player.

6. A ball-playing device, comprising an adjustable stop forstopping theball, a receiving device into which the ball is received, and anadjustable projecting device for returning the ball to the player.

7. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop for stopping the ball, aprojecting device for returning the ball to the player, a confiningdevice therefor, a releasing part associated with the projecting deviceand adapted to be actuated by the ball, a receiving device for the ball,and means for conducting it therefrom to the projecting device.

8. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop for stopping the ball, aseries of receptacles associated therewith and having movable bottoms,indicators associated with said receptacles and adapted to be actuatedby the ball when it falls into said receptacles, a receiving devicebeneath the receptacles, a projecting device associated therewith andadapted to return the ball to the player.

9. A ball-playing device, comprising a stop for stopping the ball, areceiving device into which the ball is received, a spring for returningthe ball to the player, a confining device for said spring connectedwith the receiving device, so that the ball may automatically roll intoproximity to said spring, a releasing device for the spring actuated bythe ball, and a resetting device controlled by the player for resettingsaid spring.

JOSHUA S. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

HOMER L. KRAFT, FANNY B. FAY.

